Alstroemeria 'Natalie' PP17,801 (Little Miss Natalie Peruvian Lily) - A dwarf variety to 6 inch to 10 inches tall with spikes of large open-structured flowers in late spring and early summer with outer tepals that are white with a broad pale pink central band and sepals white marked, with maroon. Plants have a crown of slender rhizomes that attach to succulent storage roots below. Each year new unbranched shoots arise from the crown to produce narrow leaves along the stem and an umbel of flowers at the tip. Plant in full sun to light shade and water regularly to occasionally in late spring and early summer. Tolerates fairly dry conditions in coastal gardens but vigor and flowering is best when plants are irrigated. Hardy to 15-20 degrees F but tolerates lower temperatures if mulched. When trimming or cutting Alstroemeria for flowers it is best to pull the stems out so they break off below ground at the crown to stimulate the formation of new shoots but do so carefully so not to pull out pieces of the rhizome itself. This plant comes from the breeding program of Bob and Frank Goemans of Parigo Horticultural Company in Chichester, England this plant was the result of a cross of two unnamed selections also made by the breeder. Alstroemeria 'Natalie' was selected for it upright, compact and mounded plant habit, its durable long-lasting leaves and freely flowering large umbels with white and red-colored flowers with good postproduction longevity. This plant replaced Alstroemeria 'Sophie', a cultivar we and it differs in being a shorter but broader plant that is more freely flowering over a longer period of time than 'Sophie'. Alstroemeria 'Natalie' received its US Plant Patent # 17,801 in June 2007 and is being markets in the Little Miss series as Little Miss Natalie. The genus Alstroemeria was named by Carl Linnaeus, often called the Father of Taxonomy, for his friend and student Klaus von Alstroemer (Clas Alströmer), a Swedish baron. Alstroemeria come from two areas within South America with summer growing species restricted to eastern Brazil and winter-growing plants from central Chile with common names such as Peruvian Lily, Parrot Lily, or Lily of the Incas.
This description is based on our research and observations made of this plant as it grows in our nursery, in the nursery garden and in other gardens that we have visited. We will also incorporate comments received from others and always appreciate getting feedback of any kind from those who have some additional information about this plant, in particular if this information is contrary to what we have written or if they have additional cultural tips that would aid others in growing Alstroemeria 'Natalie' PP17,801.